R8000P renames my 5G access points to defaults with no security

[thesun]

I thought this was a one-time fluke but apparently, anytime my R8000P loses power or is turned off, it delightfully deletes the settings of my 5G wireless access points, returning them to the default name and with NO SECURITY.  Is this happening to others?  It's a show stopper, frankly, and if there's not an easy, quick, permanent fix this router is headed to the return bin. 

Does anyone else have this issue?  If it's just that I somehow have a defective unit, that's good to know.

[FURRYe38]

What Firmware version is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

Do you have a backup saved with a good config set? 

[thesun]

Hi, thanks for the reply.  It's the most up-to-date firmware, the V1.4.2.84.  I'm not going to list the modem, as I don't believe this would be anything but a router-specific issue.  As far as a backup, you mean to manually backup the system onto my computer and then restore it each time?  If that turns out to be the workaround, that's again, a show-stopper.  I'm kind of appalled that a $300 dollar router would be this buggy and there'd be so little I can do about it. 

[FURRYe38]

Modem information would be helpful as it could also be a factor. 

Also a valid troubleshooting step as well. Helps us get a better idea of the configuration as to better help you. 

If not, you'll need to open a support ticket with NG support and let them know what your seeing. 

Good Luck. 

[thesun]

Thank you, @FURRYe38 , I appreciate your time.  Maybe I'm totally wrong here, but the modem doesn't have any connection (in both the literal and figurative ways) to the 5G access points.  Those are created entirely by the router, and the modem I have has been functioning with a number of routers just fine.  I really think that to explore the modem would be barking up the wrong tree.  And for example, the wired connections I have start right back up during a power failure or manual turn off...as does the 2.4G band wifi.  Those are all fine, but every damn time, my 5G access points have lost their names and security settings and are "NETGEAR-5G-1" and "NETGEAR-5G-2" and the whole neighborhood can connect.  How might -- theoretically -- that be something that's due to the modem?  (Tone is often hard to hear in posts, but I'm genuinely curious, not trying to give you a hard time.  Just often end up jumping through hoop after hoop with tech specs and so on only to find that the issue was exactly what I expected at first.)

I unfortunately don't have much faith in Netgear at this point.  I had very spotty performance from a R7000 that eventually just crapped out after only a few years of use, and I'm having to put so much effort into this one that really, the last thing I want to do is open an issue with support and spend more time on it.  I was posting to find out if this is normal, known behavior and if others are having this issue.  But I'm not going to be continuing with the Netgear brand and will be returning this if possible once my new router arrives. 

[DarrenM]

Have you tried to factory reset the unit and set the unit up from scratch and not use the old config that you have.

DarrenM

[thesun]

Thank you, @DarrenM , yeah, I am on the fourth or fifth factory reset at this point.  Each time I've built the configuration from scratch, adding over a dozen devices, setting up access controls and so on...probably 2 days of config each time.  So I'm not up for another factory reset in the hope that somehow that will solve it.  I suspect it's a bug that occurs only when one has tweaked certain settings or opted for X option rather than Y.  The fact that there aren't dozens of people saying, "That's happened to me, too" makes me feel like it must be a fault of mine, either hardware or perhaps something in my settings.  But thank you.